Surfacing (7/?)
Rating: T
Warnings: boy/boy love, some sexual innuendo and nakedness, violence, no empathy, and gratuitous abuse of our G-boys.
Pairings: 3x4, 1x2, 5xS
Summary: Based loosely off of "The Little Mermaid." A prince below the sea, who longs for freedom and choice in his life, and another on land who shuts out the world…when feelings surface, more than one life will be changed.
Note: Part of my mini Disney project…and because the thought of a merman Quatre appeals to me and Dorothy is Ursula without a doubt in my mind.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Sotsu Agency, Bandai, and Sunrise...I have no legal hold over them. Nor do I own anything affiliated with Disney…I'm just borrowing and warping a story they borrowed. I am a mere college girl with no money attempting to entertain herself.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Chapter Seven: And Walls Began to Lessen
Despite the seemingly dire circumstances he seemed to be in, Quatre awoke the next morning with bemused smile on his sleepy face and a good feeling that the day was going to go great. Sure he only had nine days left, and the consequence of failing was way to terrible to worry over at the moment, but he couldn't help but by excited about taking a tour of Bartona along with Duo, that silent arms master, and the Prince. The mere idea of spending the next few days exploring and learning the human culture he had always dreamed about was too enticing to worry over his deadline just yet.
He stretched to work the kinks out of his back from sleeping in an unfamiliar bed before he swung his legs over the side, grinning all the while and humming to himself silently. He glanced out the window and sighed as his deep blue gaze was filled with the sun rising on the horizon…he had never seen it rise before. Quatre walked over to the wardrobe in his room and leafed through the clothes, trying to determine what was appropriate to wear on a casual outing in human culture. He decided on a less fancy pair of light brown breeches and a white collared tunic with a dark green vest (he had already concluded that the clothing he had worn last night was reserved for a more formal occasion). Once he was properly dressed he bounded over to Duo's room and knocked on the door to see how his friend was doing.
"Who is it?" an aggravated voice asked after a few knocks. Quatre scowled and rolled his eyes before he knocked harder on the door. Like he could respond…
"Quat, is that you? What am I doing, of course it's you…hold on one minute!" Quatre smiled at the flustered quality of Duo's voice as he waited another moment or so for Duo to open his door. When he did, Quatre was met with a sight he knew he'd never forget…and he couldn't help but burst into silent laughter as Duo yanked him into the room. Quatre had an idea that the violet-eyed merman wouldn't really know what to do when it came to clothing, but he had hoped he would've at least figured out that the shirt sleeves didn't work as leg coverings as well.
"I don't find this funny, your Highness," Duo grumbled as he glared at his laughing friend. "It's not my fault that humans wear to many clothes…how am I supposed to figure out what goes where when they all look the same to me?"
Quatre got his laughter under control and just smiled at Duo, his deep blue eyes still shining in laughter at his braided friend's predicament as he helped Duo's legs out of his tunic. He motioned for Duo to spread his arms, which the violet-eyed youth did with a quizzical gaze, and slipped the similarly colored tunic over his head. The blonde hurried over to the closet and tossed the brunette some under clothes before he came back with black leggings and a pair of black boots. After all was said and done, Duo struck quite an image in the clothing and passed off for any normal human.
"Quat, what would I do without you?" Duo asked with a grin as he admired himself in the mirror. He glanced over to see Quatre make a cutting motion at his neck before crossing his eyes and also his arms over his chest; he laughed gently at the ocean prince's pantomiming before responding with, "Yeah, I probably would keel over. Well, I'm starved and we're the guests in a castle…let's go find some grub!"
Quatre grinned as Duo grabbed his arm and hurried them both out of the room and down the corridor towards the dining room. How Duo could remember the way through the many winding hallways and doors that led back to the room where they had been reunited last night, was beyond Quatre, but the braided merman had always had an excellent sense of direction. The blonde didn't press details as to why the other did, as it probably had something to do with his old clan and that was always a painful subject for Duo to discuss. Quatre felt a pang of guilt bloom in his breast at the thought…it was the Ozraleans who had destroyed his entire clan all those years ago, leaving a six year old Duo to wander back from Lagrange to Araaba all by himself. Quatre knew that was the real reason as to why Duo was so concerned with his deal with the Sea Witch…he didn't want to lose another brother to the Ozraleans.
Before Quatre could continue down this train of thought, he found himself in the very bright dining room and Duo chattering about how there was no food when you needed it before he was tugged towards a side door in the large chamber by the enthusiastic merman. The door, upon later inspection, led to the kitchens and was bustling with activity that seemed to counter the stillness of the dining hall. Maybe this was something different in human culture, Quatre mused as Duo let go of his hand an immediately started charming the wits out of a petite serving girl to get some food for them both before they had to eat with the stuffed shirts.
In Araaba, dinners were very much a social occasion, but there was hardly this much propriety to them. Servants and nobles ate alike at the tables and the food was oft prepared right before the eyes of the patrons, not hidden away in a separate room. Quatre didn't really see the reasoning for hiding the preparation of food, as it could help identify if an assassination or other such foul deed was being attempted, but he decided that it was not his place to judge another culture's ways as wrong. They were simply different…no more, no less. Quatre was shocked out of his musings once again by Duo as he stuffed piles of foreign food into his arms and began pushing him out of the kitchens.
"Thanks, Hilde!" Duo called out with a grin as he hurried the shocked ocean prince out from the kitchens. Quatre saw the petite serving girl give Duo an exasperated glare before shooing them out…a smile on her face belaying the annoyance she was trying to muster up.
"We're not allowed in the kitchens," Duo explained as he began munching on some of his food, answering the unasked question from Quatre's lips. "It's not proper or something…dumb rule if you ask me. The cook thinks we need to eat as much as we can though…something about being shipwrecked and that we're to skinny…which I highly disagree with. I know for a fact that I'm not…maybe she was right about you but…OW!"
Quatre glared at his braided friend after stomping on his foot for the last comment, earning a sheepish laugh and an "I was just kidding, Quat" from the violet-eyed merman, who went back to eating all the food in his arms. He gave the blonde prince a look when he noticed that Quatre hadn't really started eating, which the teal-eyed merman responded with a sigh as he took a bite out of one of the sweeter looking pastries they had been given. He didn't really like sweet things, preferring the more exotic taste that foods with a kick had, but every now and then the urge came upon him. Human food was quite good anyway…although Quatre had a sinking suspicion that it wasn't the healthiest for him or Duo (who was nearly finished with his copious amount of food and was eyeing Quatre's).
They were so engrossed in their eating and examining of the seaside view that neither merman noticed the entrance of two slightly suspicious humans enter, flanked by a smiling red head and a nose-covered man. The taller of the two cleared his throat, causing both mermen to whip their heads up and focus on the green-eyed prince and his retainers. Quatre smiled, food no completely forgotten, and Duo smirked to himself before he waved merrily whilst reaching for one of the blonde's forgotten pastries. His smile faded slightly as he noticed the dark-haired arms master glaring at them both with a bit more ire than usual.
"How did you both find your way down here?" Heero asked accusingly as his dark blue eyes scanned back and forth between the two confused youths.
"Well," Duo said as he stood up and placed his hands on his hips, glaring back at the arms master while Quatre stood as well, looking a bit exasperated at the accusing tone. "Not that it's any of your business, but I have a GREAT sense of direction and never get lost! And why don't you and unibang over there drop the whole suspicious act already! Quat and I aren't here to take over or whatever you think we're going to do…all we wanted was to get a little bit of food before YOU two take us around the city…sorry if we overstepped our welcome."
Quatre had nodded emphatically all the while Duo ranted, scowling slightly at the braided merman when he was calling Trowa "unibang," and then locked his teal eyes with the green ones of the prince after his friend was finished. He didn't know why he was so silent and cold, but he was determined to help him out nay way he could…maybe learning to trust another was the first step. He kept his gaze with the cold prince, refusing to flinch or back down under such an impersonal gaze…he had seen the side of the prince that wasn't guarded the day before, and he intended to bring that out once more.
"For goodness sakes, Heero!" Cathy exclaimed from behind her brother and the emotionless warrior, her lavender like eyes glittering in frustration with their attitudes towards their guests. "All they were doing was eating…is that reason to lock them up in the dungeons? Calm down and just act normal for a change! You too, Trowa!"
"I do not trust someone after meeting him for a moment," Trowa replied, tearing his gaze away from the unnerving stare of the teal eyed boy…it made him feel naked and exposed when the youth looked at him like that. "I understand their predicament, and sympathize but I will not ignore common sense. If they want my trust, then they'll have to earn it just as any other would."
Duo snorted from behind his hand but Quatre just nodded and flashed the prince another one of his smiles before he started walking towards the door with Duo in tow, leaving their backs exposed. The gesture did not go unnoticed by any of the humans present and both Cathy and S raised their eyebrows at the prince and Heero, and Cathy gave her brother a warning look to not betray this trust that their newcomers obviously were showing them before she shoved them both to follow the unusual boys. She smiled and waved as her brother sent her an annoyed look before settling slightly behind the blonde while Heero did the same with the braided young man.
S turned towards the red-headed princess of Bartona as the four figures faded from sight and said plainly, "I do hope those two boys exhibit the amount of faith we have placed in them."
"I wouldn't worry," Cathy said with a smile as she turned away and headed back towards her chambers. "I don't know what it is about those two, but I have a feeling that those two strange boys will succeed where all else failed." She turned her head back once at the closing doors and whispered to herself, "Help him out, Quatre…help him feel again."
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Wufei had not been able to sleep that night he had first returned to tell Sally PO and Iria Winner of what had occurred to Quatre and then to Duo, and he was starting to feel it as he swam back towards the seaside kingdom, his eyelids drooping over his black eyes as he struggled to stay awake. It had been hard enough dodging the many guards that King Rabban had sent out to search for his missing son and companion to make it back to Araaba, and it seemed even harder to leave unnoticed, knowing full well that the king was looking for him as well. The only thing keeping his energy up was his gift, that and the knowledge that he had left Quatre alone with Duo in an unfamiliar land with a prince that could turn out to be less than worthy for the heir of the ocean.
He paused by a sea cove as he waited for a patrol to pass by, and his mind started to drift back towards the conversation he had had with his wife early the previous day. Apart from being furious with Quatre for agreeing to a bargain with the Sea Witch, and consequently with Wufei, Duo, and King Rabban for allowing it to happen in the first place, Sally turned out to be very helpful and had arranged for Iria to meet with Wufei so she too could know what was happening. She had also prepared a slave that would help Duo's skin should he not be able to get near water to help strengthen the spell Wufei had cast on him.
Wufei let out a sigh as the patrol passed by and swam out quickly, kicking his black fins powerfully in order to swim away from Araaba as quick as he could. Iria had been upset to hear what had happened, and even more so to learn of what could happen to her baby brother should he fail to get the human prince to fall in love with him, but she had expressed her faith in Wufei and Duo that they would succeed. After promising to keep her father from discovering what happened until the final day of the spell on Quatre, Iria asked to send her brother her love and swam off…as detached as Wufei usually was, it had been hard for him to agree with her request.
Sally had promised to start investigating the Ozraleans more thoroughly; intent on making sure none tried to sabotage the already daunting task Quatre had placed upon himself. She had promised to check in with Iria every day and with Wufei every two days to learn of any progress with the human prince. Wufei was truly thankful his wife was the woman she was…stubborn and maddeningly mysterious but strong enough to make sure Wufei would only have to worry about his prince and Duo.
Wufei shrugged away the feelings of sleepiness he felt start to creep up on him again as he swam towards the land of Bartona, keeping close to the surface to avoid attention from his sea-dwelling brethren. He could start to feel the change in the water as he neared closer to land and he drew upon the last of his energy to get him to a place where he could talk with either Quatre or Duo. The sand grew closer to him and before Wufei could believe it, he was back in the waters he had left Duo and Quatre in, just off the coast of the large castle. Exhaling a sigh of relief he smirked to himself as he poked his head out of the water…he needed to find some sort of channel that led into town or closer to the castle grounds…something that enabled him to speak with either changed merman easily.
After a few moments of looking, Wufei spotted what he was looking for with his dark eyes…a narrow channel that seemed to take him away from the sea and into land. He ducked back under the water and swam towards the channel and then up it, poking his head out of the water cautiously as he went to get an idea of where he was heading. It was only when he started to hear voices above him that he knew he was near humans and hopefully near somewhere that the blonde or braided baka were. He poked his head out and swam underneath a large bridge that seemed to create a crossing in the loud and boisterous marketplace of humans. He let out a tired sigh and settled back against the cool stone of the bridge, deciding it best to wait until he could a familiar voice. He knew a call that both Duo and Quatre would understand…now all he had to do was wait for one of them. He let his eyes drift closed and rested his weary body, letting his energy replenish itself should he need it later and waited.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
The day went by so fast that Quatre could scarcely comprehend that the sun was beginning to descend in the sky when it began to, still so full of curiosity and energy he felt as if he could go on exploring for hours more. While the day hadn't started out quite like he had hoped, with the prince being so suspicious that he was here to do some wrong doings or something, it had progressed nicely. The prince had even forgone walking behind him by noontide and now was striding beside him, clearly exhausted form all the running to and fro Quatre did in the vast market place of Bartona. Sure, the fact that the prince's inherent mistrust of anyone new was cutting into his time to get the prince to love him was there, but Quatre knew that in order for Trowa to open up enough for him to love, he would have to trust first.
Quatre smiled and laughed silently as he watched a street side performance of jugglers on top of moving balls, admiring the dexterity these two humans must have had in order to perform their feats so fluidly. He had seen many different performers that day, some than sang, some that danced, and some that acted but each was just as interesting as the next to the blonde merman; and had he not been so engrossed in everything surrounding him, he might have seen the small smiles the green-eyed prince would send his way.
Quatre turned to his side and flashed a smile at the prince before he turned his attention back to the performers, hoping that Duo was enjoying his time as much as he was…they had separated after noon fast when Duo had wanted to explore a ribbon store and Quatre wanted to watch another performer. They had agreed to meet up back at the castle gates and Heero went off with Duo, scowling every time the braided merman tugged his arm to go faster. Quatre smiled to himself as he watched the jugglers bow and begin to pack up their things to head off towards another area, and started to follow Trowa as the prince led the blonde towards another one of the music stores…the prince had figured out early that day how much Quatre enjoyed music and seemed intent to show the teal-eyed boy everything in this market associated with music.
Quatre began to follow but was stopped dead in his trail when he heard a piercing wail echo through the marketplace, causing the humans to cover their ears and grimace. He might have too, if he had not known what the sounded like under the water…it was the sound of an Araaban harp and Quatre knew only one merman who would play it above water. He glanced back and found Trowa looking at him curiously and Quatre tried to mime that he would be right back before hurrying off…he only hoped the prince understood his message. He hurried to the area where the sound was loudest and found himself standing in the middle of a stone bridge that crossed the water. He looked around and found a rock which he promptly picked up and through over the edge before he hurried over and looked over the edge for a familiar black haired merman to appear.
Sure enough, Wufei poked his head out of the water and up at Quatre, smirking at the smile the blonde prince sent his way. He reached into a satchel he had wrapped around his waist and tossed up a jar to Quatre before he started speaking in the harsh tongue of Araaba so no one would understand.
"I hope you are well, Quatre," Wufei said with a gentler tone than he usually would have, almost smiling at the enthusiastic nod he received in reply. "The salve in the jar is for Duo, should he not make it close enough to water…tell him to rub it on his legs at night in two coats if he doesn't submerge himself in the ocean. Also, your sister, Iria, and Sally have both agreed to keep your situation a secret from your father…but I hope you realize what they are doing for you." Wufei paused for a moment to earn a solemn nod from the blonde prince in reply. "Good…now, I'm going to be checking up on you and Duo every day, so try to get one of you to meet me here…and Sally will be checking into the activities of the Ozraleans to make sure they don't try anything to harm your chances. Now…how is everything going? You only have eight days left."
Quatre smiled down at Wufei, his big blue eyes conveying what his voice could not. He made a motion to his left and then an apologetic look down at the mage merman, both to which Wufei nodded to. "It's all right, Quatre. Go back to him…tell the baka not to cause to much damage to the castle and the humans' sanities and you get the prince to fall for you. I will see you or Duo tomorrow." With that, Wufei dove back under the water and Quatre hurried back to the square with the music store where he had left Trowa, tucking the jar into one of his bags he had gained throughout the day to keep it from sight.
He spotted Trowa waiting outside the store, talking with some townsperson about something and began to hurry back over when something caught his eye; a movement to the left of the green-eyed prince, away and out of sight from anyone bustling around in the marketplace…but not from the eyes of a merman. He had legs, that much was true, and no compatible gills but his senses were still very much Merfolkish…and that included a sharper and quicker sense of sight than humans. The movement was a man dressed in black…and he was holding something that gleamed in his hand…Quatre didn't have to know much about humans to know a human weapon when he saw one. He opened his mouth to try and call out a warning to Trowa, but nothing came out but the wind.
The blonde merman looked around and found a rather large stone, larger than the one he had thrown down to Wufei to get his attention, and he dropped his parcels and picked up the stone quicker than any normal human could. He knew he wasn't the greatest shot, but it would have to do and he hurled the stone through the air with a hope that it would hit the assailant or at least warn the prince of danger. His wish turned out to be true, as a muffled yell of pain and alarm exited from the bushes, causing everyone to whip their heads around and notice the black-clad man stumble from the bush, clutching his head with one hand and cradling a sharp throwing knife with the other. Trowa's eyes whipped around and noticed Quatre waving like an idiot and motioning to the dropped assassin and he felt his blood boil.
The man didn't really stand a chance against the prince as he calmly strode over and clocked the man in the gut, doubling him over and then calling for guards to lock him away for questioning; the amount of strength he showed was impressive to Quatre, even by merfolk standards. He really didn't register he people being calmed down by the guards or the man being hauled away…he only felt Trowa place his hands on his shoulders and stare at him with a strange look in his eye.
"You saved my life," was all the prince said as he stared into the blonde's face and eyes, as if searching for a reason behind the act. "And the assassin could have easily thrown a knife at you…why risk your life for someone you barely know?"
Quatre just shrugged and smiled as he raised his teal eyes to lock onto those bewildered verdant ones. He wished he could voice why he had…it was painfully simple to him, but he knew that the prince wouldn't be able to accept it at this time…so he just poked him in the chest and tried to convey what he could with his eyes. Before he knew it, Quatre felt himself engulfed in arms and his face buried in the shoulder of the prince and then it was over and the prince was looking at him again with that strange expression on his face.
"Thank you…and I'm sorry I doubted your intentions," was all Trowa could say and keep his voice in a calm tone. Everything about this boy called to him, every little thing he did or attempted to say made his heart beat faster and he couldn't help but want to drown in those deep, ocean-like eyes. And while everything his head screamed at him was that he shouldn't forget he loved the person who saved his life, everything his heart told was that he couldn't ignore this slender young man before him. "Come on," he said after a moment of silence, wrapping an arm around the blonde's shoulders and picking up his dropped parcels. "Let's head back before either Heero, or your friend Duo, start to wonder where we are."
Quatre beamed up at him and relaxed against the tall frame of the prince as they walked back towards the palace gates, resting his head on Trowa's shoulder in a trusting gesture. Trowa let out a sigh as blonde hair soft as silk tickled his chin and only wondered one thing as they left the marketplace and all of its bustling and din.
What are you doing to me, Quatre?
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
So…sorry about the wait everyone! Let's just say that real life took over and my muse let it. I am really sorry for the wait, but I hope everyone liked this chapter! Drop me a review and tell me what you think and I'll see everyone next chapter, which will hopefully be sooner rather than later! Ciao!
Osco
